Railway gates



(No Model.) 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. WAYLAND & J. S. BALDWIN. PNEUMATICSYSTEM FOR OPERATING RAILWAY GATES.

No. 431,732. Patented July 8, 1890.

BY me ATTY'S.

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J. WAYLAND & J; S. BALDWIN. PNEUMATIC SYSTEM FOR OPERATING RAILWAYGATES.

No. 431,732. Patented July 8, 1890.

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/ BY .ATTY'S.

UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES IVAYLAND AND JAMES S. BALDWIN, OF NEWVARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS,BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE RAILWAY APPLIANOECOMPANY, OFSAME PLACE.

PNEUMATIC SYSTEM FOR OPERATING RAlLWAY-GATES..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,732, dated July 8,1890.

Application filed September 4,1889. Serial No. 322,958. (No model.)

.To all whom/it may concern.-

, Be it known that we, JAMES IVAYLAND and JAMES S. BALDWIN, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and Stateof New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPneumatic Systems for Operating Railway Gates and other Appliances; andwe do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference markedthereon, which form apart of this specification.

Our invention relates to that form of aux- 4 iliary railway apparatus inwhich an impulse devices are open to the objection of disarrangement andbreakage due to the violent shocks to which they are subjected. Thelimited time allotted for their action is also in many cases a featureattended by irregular movement and frequent failure. \Ve employ for thispurpose in place of the contact of solid objects the impact of a blastor current-of air or other fluid, either aeriform or liquid, asprojected from a nozzle or other suitable outlet carried by a vehicle onsaid railway and received by suitable stationary apparatus arranged inconvenient relation to the line of movement of said vehicle, and adaptedtore ceive an impulse from said blast and to transmit the same throughappropriate means of connection to any desired point for the operationof a gate or other appliance, already referred to. By this method we areenabled to avoid all violent shocks and to substitute therefor an easyand fluent impulse, thus securing durability of the operating parts andgreater certainty of action.

Although various methods may be employed to transmit and apply theimpulse thus imparted to said gate or similar appliance, that which weprefer consists in the employment of said impulse to control andregulate an apparatus connected with such gate and arranged andadapted-to operate the same by power locally supplied thereto, butcontrolled in its action by the said blast-impulse transmitted andimparted thereto. .The mechanism and apparatus which we have devised,combined, and applied to carry out our invention will now be moreparticularly described, and finally pointed out in the clauses of theclaims. 7

Referring to the accompanying drawings, embraced in two sheets, in whichlike letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures,Figure 1, Sheet 1, shows in elevation the frame-work of a gate with aportion of a gate-bar, movable tanks, and tubes connected with saidtanks. Fig. 2 shows a rotating vessel in elevation and partial section,a recessed bearing for the same shown in section, and apparatus forcontrolling the rotation of said vessel. Fig. 3 shows, on the same planeas Fig. 2, in elevation, a portion of 'a locomotivetender (the remainderbeing broken away) carrying a blast-nozzle; also, in section and partialelevation, a stationary apparatus for receiving an impulse from saidblast. 4 and 5, Sheet 2, show in proper operative relation and projectedon the same plane the apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 6 showsin outline and elevation a portion of Fig. 2 projected on a plane atright angles to that of said Fig. 2. Fig. 7 shows a modified form of theapparatus in Fig. 1. Fig.8 shows in section a detail of Fig. 1. Fig. 9shows a detail of Fig. 2. Fig. 10 shows a portion of a frame-Work anddrum pertaining to .the mechanism in Fig. 1. Fig. 11 shows anothermodification of the apparatus in Fig. 1.

A represents a frame-work or stand carry.- ing drums I and I. From thedrum I are suspended the closed tanks 13 and B by wire ropes, eachsecurely attached to said drum.

Figs.

Similar wire ropes are attached to the bottom of said tanks and also tothe drum 1. Tothe shaft of said drum 1' is fastened an arm G, of which aportion is broken away, as shown. It is apparent that motion imparted toeither of said tanks will be communicated to the drum 1 and acorresponding motion to the bar G, which if swung to a horizontalposition may be employed to serve as a gate barring a roadway crossing arailway-track, and by reverse motion may be swung to a verticalposition, leaving said roadway free. The tank B may be filled with wateror other suit able liquid through an orifice in the top thereof to theline Z, and said orifice may be securely closed by screwing thereon acap B". I

As thus filled, said tank will by its weight descend, and by connectionsalready described bring the bar G to vertical position against ,anysuitable stop, as a stud A, secured to frame A. J is a flexible tubeconnecting the interior of the tank B with a similar part of the tank B,and is adapted to afford a free channel for the passage of a liquid fromone tank to another when impelled by a suitable force, irrespective ofthe relative position of said tanks.

Q is a flexible tube connected with the upper part of the tank B andarranged and adapted to supply thereto air under pressure or to permitsaid air to flow from said tank as operative conditions may require.

The tank B is provided with an outlet, as shown in Fig. 8, closed by afloat-Valve 13*, which, hanging loosely by its stem and cross bar 0,will permit the free escape of air from said tank, but is adaptedto-close said orifice when actuated by liquid forced into said tank tothe level indicated by the line X. As thus constructed and arranged theabove apparatus is adapted to permit air supplied in sufficient volumeand pressure to force liquid from tank B to tank B, lessening the weightof one and increasing the weight of the other.

It is apparent that if the several parts are in substantial equilibriumthe shifting of a quantity of liquid from one to the other by reason ofchanges of pressure effected through the tube Q will in one case holdthe bar G against the stop A, or if the preponderance of weight is withthe tank B then said bar will be caused to descend until its hangingstop G shall touch the ground.

D is a vessel, preferably of a cylindrical form, carried by a shaft D,moving in a bearing L, having therein a recess 61. A portion of thetrunnion between the points D and D has a channel within it, withopenings therefrom into said recess d, placing the same at alltimes incommunication with said channel, which also communicates by a pipe Dwith an air space D in the vessel D.

L is a tube communicating with the recessv (Z. It is apparent thatchanges of pressure induced in the air-space D will be communicatedthrough the several channels, as described, to the tube L and itsconnections.

N is a piston or plunger moving freely but air-tight in the vessel D,andadapted when in the position shown to impart pressure to air in thespace D and to force out said air through the pipes and channels, asabove described. If, however, said vessel D has its position reversedthrough half a revolution,the air-space D being brought uppermost,apartial vacuum will be formed therein by the descent of the plunger N,and the plunger will be prevented from passing outside said vessel by abarv D secured across the open end of said vessel, as shown in Fig. 9.The

said vessel D is thus adapted when placed in one position to increasethe pressure within an y channel or other inclosure connected with thepipe L, or by a reversal of said position efiected by suitable means toreduce such pressure.

' D is a disk securely fastened to shaft D and having notches D D cuttherein, as shown in Fig. 6.

D is a pulley, also firmly attached to the shaft D and arranged to berotated by power applied through the belt K from the pulley M of themotor M, which may be of any approved type, adapted to be operated byfluid under pressure supplied thereto through a pipe M and dischargedthrough pipe M Said motor prevents any flow or consumption of such fluidwhen its rotation is prevented by a sufficient resistance, said rotationbeginning, however, when such resistance is removed or suflicientlyreduced. As such motors are now in general use, no particulardescription thereof is deemed essential. continued rotation of saidmotor is adapted through the attached apparatus described alternately toraise and lower the pressure in pipe L and its connect-ions.

C is a pawl or stop carried by the holder 0 and adapted to enter notchesD D formed in the disk D, and to arrest the rotation of said disk Dattached to shaft D, and other parts connected with said shaft, asdescribed. Conversely, the withdrawal of said pawl will permit said diskand attached parts to rotate, the same being actuated by motor M, asalready set forth.

0 Fig. 6, is a spring attached to the holder C for the purpose ofaffordin g an elastic stoppage for the disk D and its rigidly-attachedparts, the slipping of the belt K gradually arresting the motion of themotor M.

E, Fig. 2, is a rod connected with the pawl C and adapted to actuate thesame when moved by the action of the lever WV on the curved and hookedend of said rod, said lever being raised by the inflation of a bag orbellows WV by air transmitted under pressure through pipes W or as thesame may be placed in communication through suitable cocks embraced insaid pipes, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4:. By the inflation of the bag Wand raising of the lever WV and engaged hook 11 the curved extremity ofthe latter is by a contact with a portion of the stand E disen The IIS

gaged from said lever W", at which time its attached pawl C will havereleased its hold on the disk D, permitting the same to rotate, and thesaid bar and pawl descending by their weight, and when necessary theadded power of a spring E, the said pawl will rest on a plain part ofdisk D until another notch in said disk is brought under it, when thepawl, entering the same, will arrest the rotation of the disk D inmanner as described.

WV is a stop arranged to limit the movement of lever W, which,descending by its weight and that of its attached platen, as permittedby the collapse of the bag W, effected by means to be hereinafterdescribed, will re-engage with the hook E preparatory to another removalof the pawl G and corre sponding rotation of the disk D. Said notchesbeingtwo in number and opposite each other, as shown, the alternateinflation and collapse of the bag W will permit a succession of halfrevolutions of the disk and attached parts, as described.

U, Fig. 3, is a T or equivalent outlet, preferably leading from anair-brake main on a locomotive-tenderT. U is a pipe proceeding from saidT and sustained by a stud T. Said pipe is provided with an outlet ornozzle T* and also with a valve T operated by handle T the main U beingsupplied with air under pressure in the usual manner. Said air will passthrough pipe U when valve T is opened and will then emerge throughnozzle'T as a violent blast.

S is a post provided with a bracket S, carrying a casing F, preferablyflaring at its lower parts. Said casing is provided with a partition Fpierced with an orifice or short channel provided with a check-valve, as

shown. In some cases this valve may be dispensed with. Above saidpartition and attached thereto is a bellows or other extensible vessel Fconnected by a platen provided with a spring F with one end of a leverV. Attached to and suspended from said partition F is a bag F,preferably, but not necessarily, provided on its lower side with a plateF attached thereto and adapted to receive the impact of a blast orviolent current projected againstit from a nozzle, as T By the force ofsuch blast, if suitable in quantity and direction, said bag will bepartially closed and air contained therein forced through the orifice inpartition F into the bellows F inflatin g the same and applying throughthe spring F an upward pressure to the attached end of the lever V and acorresponding downward pressure from the other extremity of said leveragainst the spindle of a tappet-valve V, of the usual construction,connected with a pressuremain R, supplied with air under pressure fromany suitable source of supply, as a pump and tank in a round-house orother convenient locality for preparing and maintaining such supply.

V is a delivery leading from said valve to any desired point, andadapted to convey thereto air under pressure as supplied from saidpressure-main through valve V when opened, as described.

It is apparent that by the use of the abovedescribed means an operatoron a train may, by properly timing and regulating the delivery of ablast of air or other fluid under pressure toward and against the plateF effect the transmission of an impulse from a train to the valve V, andthus secure a further transmission of a greater force to any requireddistance. i

In some cases the bag F may be dispensed with and the force of the blastpermitted to inflate the bellows F directly. The return of said bellowsto its normal position we prefer to secure by providing a slight leakthrough the check-valve or by any similar small but constant'outlet fromsaid bellows to the bag or space below,whereby the said bellows, havingbeen inflated and having operated the valve V, shall, after a prescribedinterval, collapse sufflciently to permit said valve to close.

The operation of our invention is as follows, reference being had toFigs. 4t and 5, wherein are shown as combined for joint operation theelements already described placed in proper relation to each othersubstantially as we prefer to combine said elements in a completeworking system, the relative positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3 havingbeen chosen for case of illustration: In said Figs. 4 and 5 minor partsalready sufficiently described are not shown in exact detail ordimensions. A tender Tor other vehicle moving in the direction indicatedby arrows in Fig. 5 and provided with a nozzle or outlet furnishing ablast of fluid under pressure may, when in the position shown in saidFig. 5, and substantially in the manner shown and described inconnection with Fig. 3, emit a current of air under pressure, to beapplied through pipe V to attached pipe W inflating the bag W andactuating the pawl O in the manner described in connection with Fig. 2,thus permitting a semi-revolution of the ves- Sol D and an appropriatepneumatic action in and from said vessel through the tube L and itscontinuation Q, effecting an operative result in the attached mechanismand gate bar. Assuming the operative conditions to be those shown inFigs. 1' and 2, the effect would be to lower the bar G, as shownpartially in said Fig. 1 and completely in Fig. 5.

Said operation having been completed and the valve V being closed by thewithdrawal of lever V following the passage of the blastnozzle beyondthe casing F, the bag W, being no longer supplied with air underpressure, will collapse by the escape of its contents through thebleeder W suitably adjusted for that purpose, and the lever WV willre-engage with the hooked bar E The vehicle continuing to move, (thevalve '1 being closed, if desired,) the said vehicle will in due timereach the apparatus shown in Fig. 4 and connected with the bag WV by itsbranch pipe W as shown partially by a broken line. The foregoingoperations may then be repeated by a proper employment of the aforesaidairblast acting on the second recipient thereof, which does not differin any respect from that shown in Fig. 5. Another semi-rotation of thevessel D being thus effected, the airspace I) brought uppermost and apartial vacuum created therein and in the connected tank B, a rapidtransfer of liquid will take place thereto from tank B through flexibletube J, thus changing the preponderance of weight, and a correspondingmovement of said tank and gate will occur in manner as alreadydescribed.

By the employment of the above system a gate may be automatically openedand closed by the above-described apparatus connected therewith andcontrolled by suitable impulses communicated thereto from a movingvehicle through the medium of a blast or current of air or other fluidproperly directed from said vehicle against a stationary recipientprovided therefor and connected with said apparatus. The blast of airmay in some cases be replaced by steam from the boiler or exhaust of alocomotive or by the blast which issues from the smoke-stack. A jet ofwater could be used in some cases when no danger of freezing existed.WVe employ the term blast of air as a representative one.

Our invention maybe modified in many ways. If the tank B, Fig. 1, wereremoved and replaced by a suitable weight B Fig. 11, and itself fixed ina convenient position above the tank B on the support 13 as shown insame Fig. 11, the connection through tube J being maintained, then thepassage of liquid to and from between said tanks would secure the samechange of preponderant weight and corresponding movement of attachedparts that attend the arrangement shown in Fig. 1. In like manner, ifsaid tanks were placed on opposite sides of a fulcrum, as shown in Fig.7, changes in pneumatic pressure effected in tank B through tube Q wouldbe accompanied by a corresponding flow of liquid be tween tanks B and Band a shifting of the preponderance from one side to the other offulcrum a and a corresponding movement of attached parts.

The vessel D, if made of sufficient capacity, may be employed to operateseveral gates at once, and in case of accident, or when for any reasonsuch course becomes desirable, may be disconnected from the motor M byremoving the belt K, and may then be operated by manual effort appliedat handles H, the pawl 0 being disengaged to permit such movement.

Various means of transmitting the impulse communicated by the blast tothe plate F or other recipient thereof may be employed in lieu of thoseshown and described, and we reserve the right to make the same thesubjects of other applications co-ordinate herewith.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the operating mechanism of a railway appliance,of a ve-v hicle carrying a blast-nozzle, a receiver supported at aconvenient position adjacent to the track or way for said vehicle andcommunicating with the said appliance, whereby the impulse of the blastis transmitted from said nozzle to said appliance to operate the latter,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the operating mechanism of a gate, of avehicle, a blastnozzle carried thereon, and a receiver supported in aconvenient position to transmit the impulse of a blast from said nozzleto said gate-operating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the operating mechanism of a gate, of avehicle, a blast-nozzle carried thereon, having a hand-operated valve inits supply-duct, and a receiver supported in a convenient position totransmit the impulse of a blast from said nozzle to said gate-operatingmechanism, substantially as set forth.

4:- The combination, with the operating mechanism of a gate andapressure-main supplying power thereto, of a vehicle, a blast-nozzlecarried thereon, and a receiver supported in a convenient position totransmit the impulse of a blast from said nozzle to thecontrolling-valve of said pressure-main, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the operating mechanism of a gate, of avehicle, a blast-nozzle carried thereon, a collapsible vessel c011-taining air supported in a convenient position to receive the impulse ofa blast issuing from said nozzle, and mechanism, substantially as shown,to connect said vessel with the gate-operating mechanism, substantiallyas set forth.

6. The combination, with the operating mechanism of a gate andapressure-main supplying power thereto, of a vehicle, ablast-nozzlecarried thereon, a collapsible vessel supported in a convenient positionto receive the impulse of a blast issuing from said nozzle, and anextensible vessel connected with the former which receives the airexpelled from it by the force of the blast and transmits its pressure tothe controlling-valve of the said pressure-main, substantially as setforth.

7. The combination, with the operating mechanism of a gate andapressure-main supplying power thereto, of avehicle, a blast-nozzlecarried thereon, a collapsible vessel supported in a convenient positionto receive the impulse of a blast issuing from said nozzle, anextensible vessel communicating with the former, a check-valve in theconnecting-passage, and means, substantially as described, whereby thesecond vessel transmits the pressure of' the air forced into it by theblast to the controlling-valve of the pressure-main.

8. In combination with a gate, a movable and pneumatic-operatingmechanism therefor, of an air-vessel rotating on a horizontal W l caxis, a gravitating plunger controlling the IS tension of the aircontained therein, and a tube leading from the interior of said vesselto the gate-operating apparatus, all substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing 20 We have hereunto set ourhands this 3d day of September, 1889.

JAMES WAYLAND. JAMES S. BALDWIN.

Witnesses:

CHARLER H. PELL, E. L. SHERMAN.

